Models are often used to characterize various static and dynamic structures and systems in order to predict behavior. In this specification, the word system is used to refer to static and dynamic models. One reason for models is to reduce cost and improve predictability of systems so that a system will operate as designed. For example, models of automobile traffic are made before the roads are built in order to determine whether the planned roads are sufficient for the expected amount of traffic. Moreover, the models are helpful for determining what happens to the system, for example, when an accident causes congestion on one of the roads or when traffic patterns change.
The computer software industry has created a myriad of specialized programs intended to be "turn-key" solutions for specific tasks. Many of these programs are very useful for the specific jobs they were intended to address. These software programs effectively address the single need of each job, but are incapable of application to address multiple needs within the same organization across multiple industries/markets. Accordingly, the limitation of existing models is the inability to apply structure and information for a variety of different applications.
What is needed is a universal software structure for representing model structures, or "Meta-Model," which is implemented as a single system with numerous processes that provide the ability to represent several different models simultaneously. This would allow a single implementation layer to represent several different specialized models to address the individual needs of applications within the same organization or software system. By addressing the specialized needs across several software models at the same time, a Meta-Model can reduce the effort required to create specialized models.